“They told me they thought there was a possibility that two assailants killed Sophia. And I thought that was so strange. . . . Why would two people team up to murder a young woman? In a parking lot? With her in the driver’s seat. It’s all very strange. Maybe all I had to do was think about it and look around me. And then listen to Zach. So maybe a real possibility is that one person was trying to get the other two together, to make peace between them.”

“But Lance admitted everything on the roof today—”

“Did he, though? When we were up there, Lance had nothing to hide. He planned to jump, so why not just admit it?”

“Lance was an odd guy. And clearly disturbed. Everything he said was oblique. And you’re wondering why he was opaque right before he took his own life.”

“Yeah. Maybe.” I plunge ahead. “But you knew Lance was crossing the line with students in the past. And you said you were sticking your neck out for him. Just like you stuck your neck out for me when Emily and Jake died. You were willing to do that so I could hang on to my job.”

“That’s what I’m supposed to do, Connor.”

“Right. Preston the Politician. Preston the Peacemaker.”

His voice comes out flat. “What are you getting at, Connor? I lead the department. I’m out front. Some people have to do that. Not everyone gets to hide away.”

“But is it possible you took that role too far? Madeline and Sophia were friends. And Lance was sexually harassing Madeline. That’s in her short story, so we know that. Remember what you always say—we need to listen to women. And Sophia’s husband, Zach, told me that Sophia felt very strongly about mentoring and protecting younger women. That’s who Sophia was. That defined her. So if she learned that one of her young friends was being sexually harassed by a more powerful man at the university—a university and a department she was already connected to through her internships—isn’t it possible she would do something about it? Isn’t it possible she would stand up and try to fight back on behalf of that person?”

“She’d confront that person, yes. That’s Lance.”

“Or maybe if she thought that person wasn’t worth the effort, or was unlikely to listen, she might go to someone she thought would listen. Someone in a position of real power. Someone who might be able to corral Lance and tell him to knock it off. Or actually hold him accountable at the university.”

Preston shakes his head. “This is sad, Connor. It’s surprising to me that you couldn’t write a book since you’re spinning all of this fiction right here in my living room. Maybe you need to take another swing at being a novelist. Maybe it will work out this time.”